2000
#59,916
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 315
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Ebsen
A surname with Scandinavian/Danish origins meaning "son of Ebbe".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 396 Americans carry the last name Ebsen. That puts it at #62,640 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 865,541 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ebsen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
396
1 in 865,541
Census rank
#62,640
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
345
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 345 bearers of the surname Ebsen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 62640th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ebsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ebsen
The surname Ebsen is of German origin, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Old German word "ebba," which means a stream or a creek. It is believed that the name initially referred to someone who lived near a stream or a body of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Ebsen can be traced back to the 14th century in the town of Ebsdorf, located in the northern German state of Lower Saxony. The town's name is thought to have originated from the same root as the surname, further solidifying its connection to water bodies.
In the 15th century, the Ebsen surname appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of documents related to the history of Saxony. This suggests that the name was well-established and relatively widespread in certain regions of Germany during that time.
Notable individuals with the surname Ebsen include Johann Ebsen (1635-1699), a German composer and organist who was known for his contributions to the development of the North German Organ School. Another noteworthy figure was Hans Ebsen (1822-1899), a Danish artist and painter renowned for his landscapes and seascapes.
In the 19th century, the Ebsen surname found its way to other parts of the world, likely due to immigration patterns. One such example is Buddy Ebsen (1908-2003), an American actor and dancer best known for his roles in the television series "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Barnaby Jones."
Another prominent individual with the Ebsen name was Vilhelm Ebsen (1861-1925), a Norwegian author and playwright who wrote several novels and plays that explored the social and cultural issues of his time.
While the surname Ebsen has its origins in Germany, it has since spread to various countries and regions, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields, from the arts and literature to entertainment and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ebsen
Among Census respondents with the surname Ebsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Ebsen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Ebsen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 316
- Two or more races5.2% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ebsen
Ebsen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#61,585
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 326
+11 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 1,669 places
2020
#62,640
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 345
+19 bearers (+5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 1,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #59,916 | 315 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #61,585 | 326 | 0.11 | +11 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 1,669 places |
| 2020 | #62,640 | 345 | 0.12 | +19 bearers (+5.8%) | Down 1,055 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Ebsen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #61,585 | #62,640 | -1.7% |
| Count | 326 | 345 | 5.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.12 | 4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ebsen bearers went from 326 to 345 (+5.8% change). The surname moved down 1,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #61,585 to #62,640.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Ebsen
FAQ
Ebsen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ebsen?
Name Census estimates that about 396 living Americans carry the surname Ebsen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 865,541 residents.
How common is Ebsen?
Ebsen ranks #62,640 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 345 people with the surname Ebsen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (396), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.12 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.12 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Ebsen.
Has Ebsen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ebsen went from 326 recorded bearers to 345. That is an increase of 19 (+5.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #61,585 to #62,640.
What does the Census say about the background of Ebsen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ebsen, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Ebsen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (316 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ebsen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Two or More Races (5.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Ebsen (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Ebsen mean?
A surname with Scandinavian/Danish origins meaning "son of Ebbe". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Ebsen (0.12 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Ebsen?
Want to know how many people are called Ebsen? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.